Restrictions Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartiainen defends the chosen coronal line in the Helsinki metropolitan area – “Restaurants are a major infection node”

Helsinki mayor Juhana Vartiainen (kok) defends the coronal guidelines of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Corona Coordination Group.

Stricter measures have been demanded from decision-makers in the Helsinki metropolitan area when hospital care is burdened due to corona cases.

The government announced on Thursday new restaurant restrictions that are likely to further expand the use of the interest passport.

Read more: Sote ministers propose: Dispensing in restaurants would end as early as 5 pm if the corona passport is not used

From the beginning of the week, the Corona Coordination Group called on the government to tighten its restrictions on restaurant restrictions due to the deteriorating coronavirus situation.

However, the group did not present any restrictions of its own.

Read more: According to Krista Kiuru, new restrictions will be imposed on restaurants already this weekend: “There was too bright a picture this autumn”

Other regional restrictions are decided by the regional authorities, whose decision-making is guided by the Corona Coordination Group.

Why has the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Corona Coordination Group been so demanding of stricter restaurant restrictions, but has not called for them, for example, for events?

Vartiainen emphasizes that the management of the coronavirus epidemic is a joint effort and that the coordination group follows the guidance of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (STM).

“We also have the perception that restaurants are a major infection hub. We know that there is a high risk of infection in on-premises restaurants and nightclubs, ”says Vartiainen in an interview with HS.

“If the actions so far do not bite, then of course we will start to wonder if there is still something we can do for the public events ourselves or recommend to us more strictly the guidance given by the ministry.”

The guard sees the need to tighten restrictions also in food restaurants, where groups sit at their own tables and people do not dance, sing and crowded in the crowd.

“Food restaurants probably don’t have the same risk as pubs or dance restaurants, but they also have interiors where people are close together. Even if it is a lower-risk event, there is an increased risk, ”he explains.

On the other hand, in the same way, people are close together in museums, cinemas, theater and opera, for example, and no new restrictions have been required of them.

Does Vartiainen think that people will stay home from football matches, for example, only because he has expressed concern about the deteriorating corona situation?

“It remains to be seen. It affects the behavior of some, ”he says.

“I’m not saying we, as mayors and mayors, can actually dictate people’s behavior. But it is hoped that all of this will affect behavior and, in particular, the fact that people will take vaccines. ”

Vartiainen says he does not see a contradiction between the various restrictive measures.

“We are trying to act within the framework of STM’s guidance letter. The world is not perfect and I do not have the opportunity to force museums to require a corona passport at this time. Let’s use the means we have. ”

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“The coron passport encourages vaccination and creates the conditions for safer encounters.”

Mayor hopes that restaurants in Finland could always require a corona passport from their customers. This is already the case in many other European countries, such as France, Germany and Denmark.

“I was in Berlin a few weeks ago. There was no entrance to the restaurant or art gallery unless you showed me a corona passport, ”says Vartiainen.

In Finland, an corona passport can only be required when the restrictions apply. Even then, requiring a corona passport is voluntary.

However, the corona passport is the only way to get rid of other restrictions. Vartiainen considers restrictions to be a strong recommendation for using a corona passport.

“It would be good for the government to change the legislation so that the corona passport could be used even when there are no restrictions. It is sad that here in Finland we have been procrastinating for so long, ”says Vartiainen.

“The coron passport encourages vaccination and creates the conditions for safer encounters.”

Minister Kiuru has publicly demanded more restrictions from the regions, for example on smoking at public events.

Vartiainen says that Kiuru has been consulted and the new restrictions will take effect from Thursday. The number of people standing in the stands is limited to a maximum of 20 people without a seat indoors.

The number of participants in joint singing events will also be limited – despite the fact that there will be seats at the event.

“It may be that this also affects outdoor behavior,” says Vartiainen.